Worshiping with the Reformers

Worship of the triune God has always stood at the center of the Christian life. That was certainly the case during the sixteenth-century Reformation as well. Yet in the midst of tremendous social and theological upheaval, the church had to renew its understanding of what it means to worship God.In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic's Reformation Commentary on Scripture series, Reformation scholar Karin Maag takes readers inside the worshiping life of the church during this era. Drawing from sources across theological traditions, she explores several aspects of the church's worship, including what it was like to attend church, reforms in preaching, the function of prayer, how Christians experienced the sacraments, and the roles of both visual art and music in worship.With Maag as your guide, you can go to church—with the Reformers.

Worshiping with the Reformers is a sheer delight! Karin Maag has synthesized scholarly insights and a wide array of personal stories to offer a wonderfully helpful and engaging account of key facets of worship from a variety of perspectives. What we learn from this splendid volume is intrinsically valuable as well as deepening our understanding of the historical roots of our ways of worshiping today. Perhaps through exploring some of the differences and disagreements around worship in the Reformation era we might find ourselves able to engage with more generosity and understanding when it comes to our differences and disagreements about worship now.--Suzanne McDonald, professor of systematic and historical theology at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan, Worshiping with the Reformers not only fills a lacuna in historical scholarship but also offers an indispensable resource for the church. Maag is an expert guide whose rich illustrations bring readers into the sanctuaries, chapels, homes, and public spaces of early modern life. This book helps us to understand the various contours of devotion--its motivations, suppressions, superstitions, prayers, visual arts, and ceremonies--demonstrating how various patterns of worship have become markers of Christian identity that endure to the present. Highly recommended!--Chris Castaldo, lead pastor of New Covenant Church, Naperville, Illinois, and author of Talking with Catholics About the Gospel, A masterful overview of worship traditions in the Reformation. Drawing richly on primary sources, Karin Maag presents a coherent account of liturgical life from mainline Protestant, Anabaptist, and Catholic churches. Highly recommended!--Timothy George, distinguished professor at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, general editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, For early modern Christians, debates regarding 'right worship' laid bare foundational differences in theological belief, communal identity, and personal devotion. In this outstanding book, Karin Maag explores the rich variety of worship practices--and inevitable 'worship wars'--that characterized Protestant and Catholic churches during the Reformation era. Maag tells an important story--and does so with meticulous detail and vibrant color.--Scott Manetsch, professor of church history at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, associate general editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, In Worshiping with the Reformers, Karin Maag deftly describes the diverse religious practices that resulted from the Reformation and gives a lively view of worship in the sixteenth century. Outlining the differences among the major forms of Protestantism and with Roman Catholicism, this engaging and informative book is the ideal starting point for anyone curious about the historical development of worship practices that are still important today.--Amy Nelson Burnett, Varner Professor of History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Karin Maag (PhD, The University of St. Andrews) is professor and director of the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies at Calvin University. She is the author of Does the Reformation Still Matter?, Lifting Hearts to the Lord: Worship with John Calvin in Sixteenth-Century Geneva, and Seminary or University: The Genevan Academy and Reformed Higher Education, 1560-1620.